Polymer additive analysis by pyrolysis-gas chromatography. I. Plasticizers.

Plasticizers are widely used in thermoplastic polymers to modify their physical properties and processibility. Plasticizers as well as most of the other additives in the polymer can be qualitatively analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) simultaneously with the polymer composition. The key to the successful analysis of plasticizers not only requires a comprehensive understanding of commercial plasticizers but also requires knowledge of the polymer and its applications, as well as the Py-GC technique. In this study, several plasticizers in different polymeric systems were studied to demonstrate the utility of Py-GC as a good tool for the characterization of these systems. The advantages of using Py-GC for plasticizer analysis are also discussed.